Rev Andrew Broadbent celebrated his ordination into the role of Deacon on Sunday 22 February at Uniting Church in the City, Wesley Perth.
Andrew committed his life to Jesus at the age of 14. After a career in teaching English and Phys Ed, Andrew worked as a chaplain at City Beach High School, Lake Joondalup Baptist College and Clarkson Community College. During this time he also completed a theology degree through Murdoch University.
Through his role as the WA state co-ordinator of TEAR Australia, Andrew grew his understanding of community development and his call for working with people on the margins. During this time, he completed a Master of Theology at Notre Dame University, with a focus on mission.
Andrew applied to candidate for ministry within the Uniting Church in WA after encouragement from his minister, Rev Dennis Doust, and other members of Beldon Uniting Church, where Andrew was attending with his family.
In 2007, Claire Maltby (saxophone), Alicja Maltby (flute), Emily Maltby (violin) and I, Doug Burtenshaw (piano), decided to hold a family dance in January 2008. We played at Byford Uniting Church, and thought that dances would help us be better musicians at church and elsewhere, and it would also provide a community service.We were joined by other musicians; particularly school friends from the music programs at Kelmscott and Armadale Senior High Schools.
The fifteen-piece band has played at Family Dances every month for the last seven years. Teaching of instrumental music started in 2009. Over the last five years, seven of us have taught flute, saxophone, violin, guitar and keyboard to 43 students for $5 per lesson. Students were lent instruments for six months and the teachers were not paid.
UnitingCare Australia is encouraged by this morning’s news regarding the yet to be released final report of the Reference Group on Welfare Reform. “Australia needs a simpler, fairer and more adequate welfare system. If news reports this morning are accurate, the McClure recommendations may offer a way forward to achieve that,” said Lin Hatfield Dodds, national director of UnitingCare Australia.
“We particularly welcome attention being given to the adequacy of payments people receive.”
“For many years, income support payments have been inadequate. This has made it extremely difficult for vulnerable Australians to maintain a decent standard of life,” said Lin Hatfield Dodds.
“Providing adequate payments is at the centre of an effective welfare system. People who rely on income support, need payments that are reflective of community living standards, allowing them to cover their basic needs and participate in the community. It is crucial that payments are adjusted over time to maintain adequacy. Adjusting payments through the use of an expert panel every four years and a six-monthly adjustment according to an index like the Consumer Price Index would be very welcome.”
On the evening of Wednesday 18 February, Uniting Church in the City, Wesley Perth, played host to a moving vigil for two Australian men, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, who are likely to be executed in Indonesia as a result of drug trafficking charges.
The event was held as part of the Mercy Campaign, and included a number of speakers who shared their passions and mercy for the men, branded as two of the Bali 9. Performances were also made by local musicians Kav Temperley from Eskimo Joe and Abbe May.
Myuran and Andrew have been in an Indonesian jail for almost 10 years and have since changed their lives, now devoting their time to the rehabilitation of other prisoners.
Over 178,000 people have signed the Mercy Campaign petition so far, asking that the penalty for Myuran and Andrew be a jail sentence rather than execution. Many millions of people have voiced their disapproval of the planned executions of these two reformed men and there is still hope that they will be granted clemency.
Over the long weekend in September last year, Northcliffe celebrated its 90th birthday. Northcliffe was founded solely for the ‘Group Settlement Scheme’ and is believed to be the only one still alive today.
Saturday’s celebrations included an afternoon of catching up with pioneer descendants and past residents followed by a Celebratory Ball. Sunday started with an ecumenical church service at 9.00am led by the Uniting Church’s Rev Peter Harvey and the Anglican Church’s Rev Cassandra Nixon. This saw the Uniting Church building seating capacity stretched to the limit with not only visitors, but also the support of nearby worshipping communities, especially Pemberton. Before a word was spoken or song sung, one could really feel Gods love.
In the earlý years Northcliffe was deemed a mission field. Church or Sunday School happened whenever a priest or missionary – be it Salvation Army, Methodist, Presbyterian or other – was visiting, word would go around and meetings would be held, often in the group school or even in the bush during the week or weekends. In the mid 1980’s there were four Christian churches meeting independently in a community of around 500 people and three church buildings not being used every Sunday.
At a recent function for the Shire of Augusta and Margaret River, Mary Elton, a member of Margaret River Uniting Church, was named Volunteer of the Year for the Shire. Mary was nominated primarily for her work in running fire preparedness courses for the community, however, was also acknowledged for all the wonderful programs she is involved with through the church.
Wesley Uniting Church in the City, one of Perth’s oldest and most iconic churches, is once again presenting the Stations of the Cross Art Exhibition this Easter. Fifteen Western Australian visual artists, representing some of our finest creative talent, have been invited to participate in this year’s event. The artists have each been challenged to select a Station that follows the final days of the life of Jesus and forms part of the traditional Easter narrative. The individual artworks will reflect the artist’s own interpretation of the Bible story, while collectively forming an exhibition that promises to take visitors on a journey around the true meaning and spirit of Easter.
In response to the human drama played out on the traditional narrative of the Easter story, this year artists have found contemporary analogies in the issue of Aboriginal deaths in custody, the plight of Australians on death row in Bali and the experience of Australian diggers in the First and Second World Wars.
Rev Craig Collas is the Wesley Church’s minister and the person responsible for presenting the Stations of the Cross exhibition in Perth. His vision for this event, now in its sixth appearance, is an open one – he hopes audiences of all spiritual persuasion can enjoy the imagination, imagery and conversation that the unique works of art offer.
Violence perpetrated in the name of religion was highlighted as “a defining issue of our generation” by Canon David Porter when he spoke to members of the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) of the World Council of Churches (WCC).
Porter, appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury as director for reconciliation at Lambeth Palace in London, joined the WCC meeting via Skype on 17 February. The meeting has brought together CCIA members who will set directions for the work of the Commission in coming years.
At the meeting, David said that religiously sanctified violence is a global challenge, and not just an issue of the Arab world.
“The reality is that those promoting such violence are looking deep into their own religious traditions and are attempting to find justifications for their actions,” he said.
“It isn’t just a façade; for many it comes with a deep ideological commitment from their tradition, as they understand it. Therefore the challenge for us is to look again into all religious traditions and see how traditions and texts are used to justify violence,” David added.
Bert was born on 11 April 1920 to English migrants. His commitment to the church and his service to the community is truly inspirational. In 1942, Bert was accredited as a Lay Preacher in the Methodist Church, and in September of the same year, he married Joy Finlay in Fremantle Wesley. The marriage lasted an amazing 69 years and 8 months, until Joy passed away in May 2012.
Bert joined the Navy in 1940 and did further training in submarine detection at Flinders in Melbourne and Rushcutters in Sydney, qualifying as an ASDIC operator. He saw active service on a Motor Launch deployed around Bougainville (in the Solomon Islands) during the latter part of the war. Over the years, Bert lived in Northam, Kalgoorlie, Albany, Geraldton and Perth working in management for Lockes furnishers while also holding positions with Sunday School, retiring in 1981.
Rev Mark Illingworth has recently concluded his placement at The Billabong Uniting Church, after 15 years of service. Rev Luke Williams will continue ministry with the congregation. Christine Iacobellis reflects on this journey.
Once upon a time, there was a green pool of water with minnows, frogs and turtles in a kingdom called Canning Vale. The land around was wild where rabbits roamed and snakes slithered. God had plans for this land and sent a family to begin carrying them out. This family could see a glimpse of what God saw. They imagined what beauty the land held and saw how it could be a real hub in the kingdom of Canning Vale and even other kingdoms beyond.
The Illingworth family from left: Anneliis, Rebekah, Deborah, Mark and Zachary.
This family saw past the littered car bodies and burnt out shed and saw a meeting place for people who wanted to worship God. With twinkly eyes and big ideas, this family thanked God for a chance to transform and use the gift of the land. The family gathered with others to see the land.
“Look”, they said, “can you see what it will be like when the community comes here and gets to see God in what we do?”
Some said “No, not really, are you mad?” but others said “Yes, I can kind of see what you mean.”
And so together they set about cleaning up, constructing, landscaping and transforming. For many years, the family changed the lives of other subjects and even in other kingdoms further away. They held feasts, celebrations and erected great tents, encouraging others to look to God and live like the great King Jesus. They lent a hand, prayed regularly and took time to know those around them. They did this always with willing hearts and big smiles.
Like all good adventures, things didn’t always run smoothly. There were times of despair and hardship, but through all the years, the family clung to God. Eventually, the pool of water changed and is today no longer on the land because another, bigger house for God is being built.
God has now chosen a new little family just starting out to continue to do God’s work in the kingdom of Canning Vale.
We at The Billabong and under our Heavenly King, thank the twinkly eyed family for their faithfulness. Mark, Deb, Anneliis, Bek and Zac; we thank you for shining the light of God outwards to us in all that you do. We thank you for being steadfast and standing alongside us as we wait for our happily ever after.
Christine Iacobellis
Image: The site of the Billabong Church in Canning Vale.
